2006 Major Work Stoppages (Annual) — 2007-02-27

Major work stoppages idled 70,000 workers with 2.7 million lost workdays in 2006, the U.S. Department of Labor�s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. The number of workers involved declined from 2005, but the number of workdays lost increased by an additional 1 million over the 2005 figure. The major work stoppages series, which dates back to 1947, covers strikes and lockouts involving 1,000 or more employees and lasting at least one shift. For work stoppages that began in 2005, only days of idleness in calendar year 2006 are counted. The total number of lockouts and strikes beginning in calendar year 2006 was 20. For 2005 there were 22 stoppages, with 1.7 million workdays of idleness involving 99,600 workers. (See table 1 and charts A-C). Of the 20 major work stoppages beginning in 2006, 12 were in private industry and eight were in State and local governments.